Georgia Museums, Inc. is pleased to announce the reopening of our family of museums, which include Bartow History Museum, Booth Western Art Museum, and Tellus Science Museum. “Over the past three months, staff at the museums worked very hard to engage people by providing digital content and learning experiences. I am so proud of their efforts and we appreciate all of the positive feedback we have received. We look forward to opening the museums again,” says Georgia Museums, Inc. Chief Operations Officer Cathy Lee Eckert.
Museum members will get priority visitation to the reopened museums beginning Saturday, June 13th and lasting through Friday, June 19th. The museums will open to the general public on Saturday, June 20th. All guests (including members) are encouraged to purchase timed tickets online and in advance of their visit to guarantee museum entry. Guests who do not have an electronic ticket will be allowed to enter when and if time slots become available.
To help stop the spread of COVID-19, several significant changes have been made to our museums. First, those visiting the museum will be asked to follow guidelines to facilitate social distancing and healthy sanitary behavior. Signage will be posted throughout the museum reminding guests of these precautions. Second, touch intensive exhibits or galleries will remain closed, as well as all theaters. The Bentley Planetarium at Tellus Science Museum will offer a reduced show schedule with limited seating. Cafés will be open with limited seating, to comply with state regulations and guidelines. Museum stores will be open, but will cap the number of shoppers at any given time. Special programming such as lectures, book signings, and workshops will be reintroduced later.
To support our efforts, patrons are also asked to play a vital role and help make our reopening a success. Individuals who have been exposed to someone with the virus, or who are running a temperature, or have other virus-related symptoms, are asked not to visit the museum. While face masks are not required, guests are asked to consider wearing one. We hope everyone will be patient with our staff, as well as with other patrons as we each work together to ensure all guests have an enjoyable experience. All three museums will operate under normal business hours. For more information, please check the respective websites.
